1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to footwear and, more particularly, to a transformable shoe having an outer sole and interchangeable uppers adapted to be securely, yet removably, connected to the outer sole.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with examples of footwear having changeable components, to achieve a variety of purposes. For example, Bauer U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,042 describes an athletic shoe wherein one of several replacement outsoles, each with a different tread, can be removably connected to an upper so that the wearer, with an investment in only one pair of uppers and an assortment of outsoles, can attach to the upper the outersole having a tread most appropriate for a selected sports activity and playing surface. The upper consists of a foot covering adhesively secured to an insole consisting of a layer of polyethylene or urethane sandwiched between two layers of sponge rubber. An outwardly directed recess is formed in the outer edge of the polyethylene layer and extends completely around the insole The outsole has an upstanding rim completely surrounding its periphery in which is formed a bead which mechanically engages the recess formed in the insole for detachably connecting the upper to the outsole, and mating layers of mechanical binders such as Velcro or Duallock, a trademark product of 3M Company, provide additional locking between the insole and outsole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,369 to Bailey et al. describes a convertible shoe consisting of a shoe bottom having a forward outsole portion, a middle shank and a raised heel, and a shoe top having a midsole, an insole and an upper vamp. The upper vamp is detachably secured to the midsole with snap connectors, and the midsole is detachably secured to the outsole with a plurality of snap fasteners.
Glassman U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,894 discloses a shoe made from a pre-formed flexible insole having a plurality of male snap elements on its underside, which snap elements are received and permanently held by corresponding female snap indentations on the topside of a pre-formed outsole so that the two soles can be quickly aligned and fastened permanently together by adhesive placed between the soles during assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,930 describes a shoe with interchangeable uppers consisting of a lower section having conventional toe, sole, vamp and shank portions and a heel affixed thereto and an upper member which may take a variety of shapes and colors and along its lower edge is equipped with a string of slide fastener elements which cooperate with slide fastener elements attached along the upper edge of the lower element to secure the upper to the lower section.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transformable shoe wherein an upper part having a relatively light weight insole can be quickly and easily detachably connected to an outsole, so that the user not only may change the color and appearance of the shoe to conform to the apparel being worn, but also realize considerable savings by having one pair of outsoles with an assortment of interchangeable uppers taking the place of several pairs of shoes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe having an outsole with interchangeable uppers in which the uppers have utility independently of the outsole, as a house slipper, for example.
Another object is to provide a shoe having an outsole with interchangeable uppers in which the uppers may be made from materials amenable to laundering.